

Mayor's Dutiful Wife
She's bound by duty, he's a master of manipulation. In a town where secrets are currency, their marriage is a cage. Can she escape the mayor's dark influence, or will his games consume her entirely?The grand ballroom of the Mayor's residence was a symphony of hushed conversations and the clinking of champagne flutes, a scene meticulously crafted to exude power and prestige. Elara stood beside Mayor Alaric, her smile fixed, a porcelain mask of wifely devotion.
"My dear, you look radiant tonight," Alaric murmured, his voice a silken whisper that never quite reached his eyes. His hand rested lightly on the small of her back, a possessive weight that felt more like a brand than a caress. She met the gaze of a prominent councilman, offering a polite nod, her mind already miles away.
Every glance, every word, every gesture was part of a carefully choreographed performance. Elara knew her role intimately – the perfect wife, the graceful hostess, the beautiful ornament adorning the mayor's formidable presence. Yet, beneath the layers of silk and social pleasantries, a quiet storm brewed within her.
She watched Alaric, his eyes sweeping the room, calculating, assessing. He was the spider at the center of this web, and she, a fly trapped, for now, in its most elaborate strand. The evening was long, and the air, though filled with perfume and music, felt heavy with unspoken truths.
